This was such a good meme, it reminded me how quickly we get dragged down into the everyday. Busy with routine, work, chores and worries so often on autopilot that we forget that life is pretty magical – if we stop and notice it.
So, for quite a while I’ve been working on bringing more magic and wonder into my life, not by spending a lot of money or through new shiny trinkets. The trick is to mindfully enjoy what is already there, notice it, enjoy it, and change it if you are bored with it.
Life is fully what we make of it, the most extraordinary things can become ordinary yet this can also be the other way around, the most ordinary everyday things can also be extraordinary. Through small efforts, we can bring that magic and wonder back into our lives. Here are a few ideas on how to bring magic into your life, to get you started:
1. Spend time mindfully in Nature
Having moved to the countryside this is now easier than ever, however even when living in the city, you can spend time in a local park or garden. But if you live closer to nature take the time to enjoy longer walks through forests, hills and glens. Turn off your podcasts, and music on your phone (or leave it at home) and instead listen to birdsong, the sway of the trees and their rustling leaves, the flow of the river.
Be present, let your imagination play, see everything and yet don’t let outside thoughts of the real world distract you. Whether it’s snowy, spring or drizzly – whether the world is sleeping, in bloom or its wildlife is foraging. Stop and see it all, take in the freshness of the forest.
It also grounds you and reminds you that no matter how crazy the world is, everything has its season, just like our lives. Spring follows winter, the birds don’t worry about politics or anything else, everything carries on its way, in its own time. There is a magic in nature that is beyond words, and connecting to that through being mindful when we are in nature, is both healing and magic.
Learn more about forest bathing if you are interested to learn more about the health benefits.
2. Create enjoyable little ceremonies
Routine is all good, however it can be the fast track of boredom. So often we might have a cuppa tea/ coffee or lunch in front of our computers, without even tasting, savouring or remembering what it was, completely on auto-pilot.
Yet, it is so easy to just take the 5 minutes while we are having our cup of tea, lunch, watering the garden, starting the day with yoga/ walk/ bike ride to stop and savour the moment, the flavours, or whatever else the moment brings. Relish it completely. Turn it into a small ceremony worthy of time and a smidgen of magic. You’ll enjoy it so much more and a 5 -10 minute break can feel like a complete restorative reset.
3. Read Magical Books or a new genre
Now, I am an avid fantasy reader, a few books in this genre have been making a bit of a splash recently,
especially the ACOTAR (A Court of Thorn and Roses – or anything by Sarah J Maas, and Iron Flame Series). I also still love my older favourites by Julliet Marlinner, some of which are based here in Scotland and Ireland – making them even more special,
What I love most about this genre of books, when well written is that whisk me away to another world completely, their characters and stories are so rich, it transport you away from your everyday reality even if for half an hour a day.
Stories, books or podcasts can do the same, while it’s good to be mindful and present in your everyday moments, it’s equally good sometimes to escape into a good story, you’ll get more out of that than any social media feed.
4. Take something ordinary and make it extraordinary
Like in the meme, is there anything that you do routinely that has become ordinary that you can turn into a side quest or a magical endeavour? Can a walk become a forage where you learn about a new edible, that you can make a tea with or eat?
Can you learn about the Japanese tea ceremony, to once in and awhile turn a normal cuppa into a more exotic experience? Instead of doing a normal meditation try pranayama, somatic breathing or a different style of yoga rather than your everyday style.
Rather than emailing/ texting a family member or friend, can you write them a letter?
What can you transform today? Here, I’m heading to my training to hike Mordor (Gym).
5. Bring more extraordinary moments into your life
Wear a style and design that feels magical
When it comes to transformation, what is magical that you can bring into your life on a more regular basis? Whether going for a massage or spa treatment, a weekend getaway, a day spent curled up with a good book (without feeling guilty), a long bath with candles, soft music and a glass of wine, or an impromptu last-minute delicious night out with friends?
We can try to plan these things way much in advance, yet sometimes it’s equally good to just know when your mind and body need a change, and there is nothing wrong with bringing more spontaneous self-care and extraordinary things into your life at any moment and at any time.
6. Learn something new
Nothing sparks off a whole lot of new electrified brain cells like stretching ourselves and our abilities to learn something new. It not only helps to rewire our brain, keeping it engaged and expanding its abilities, but it can lead to a whole lot of additional benefits, ie. being able to Spanish while travelling in Spain.
Sure, there are times when you try to learn something impossible and you find you don’t enjoy (hence the reason I ended up quitting trying to learn Chinese or Printmaking), in which you are not married to it, then ditch it and learn something you do enjoy instead.
7. Be a tourist in a local village/ town
You’d be surprised or may already know that while many of us will travel the length and breadth of the world, very few explore their town or region with the same sense of wonder you’ll find in a traveller. Exploring your local area and interesting snippets of history can be an eye-opener and will also have you potentially uncover unknown depths of where you live. It’s also an affordable way to bring more awe, wonder and understanding or mystery into your everyday life, with a new perspective.
Here in North East Scotland we have a lot of Pictish Stones, that not many understand of a people long gone, and have more recumbent stone circles than anywhere in the world – something else that not many people know, have visited or understand – which for me is fascinating. Who knows what you’ll uncover in your local area when seen through a new lens?
8. Journal your thoughts, dreams, and desires
Get creative and Journal
Julia Cameron famously wrote the book ‘The Artist’s Way’, many years ago. However, you don’t necessarily need to read the book to practice the morning pages. Which is a 10-20mins freestyle writing first thing in the morning. Without thinking, just write down what you feel, think, believe, desire – whatever is inside of you.
While it starts off feeling like a journal after a few days it becomes a complete flow of ideas, and creativity and is a great way of processing your thoughts and delving into your subconscious. It’s a great way of starting the day, clearing space in your mind to let more of the magic into your creative mind and all the areas of your life.
9. Finish and start the day with a small meditation
Whether it’s 5 minutes of meditation, somatic breathing or a gratitude practice, there is nothing like starting and finishing the day with a moment’s peace. It helps to build a foundation for the start of the day or a lovely habit with which to wind down your active mind by the end of the day.
If working on gratitude meditation it’s also a great way of starting and finishing the day with a positive more magical mindset.
10. Mindfully connect to those around you
Do you ever notice, feel or see how disconnected we’ve become as a society? Whether we spot that couple or family in the restaurant all on their phone, someone more preoccupied with their self than the art or nature around them, or even someone walking their dog who is asking for their attention but they’re too busy on their phone.
Can we take time while with family, loved ones, friends, colleagues or pets to sit and be present with them? Listen – without waiting for the chance to speak – make eye contact, leave your phone in your bag, and take the time to connect deeply with who they are, and what they are feeling and sharing with you.
It’s incredible when we consciously take the time to be present without any expectations how magically rewarding these small moments in the day become. However, we are spending this quality time, also benefit from our presence as we do!
Bring more magic into your everyday
These small actions aren’t incredibly costly and take only a few minutes, you don’t need to do all of them every day, but build a few into your life here and there so you can have a few moments of magic wherever and whenever you need it most.
We can get trapped in all that is in our external world, while breaking out of some of the monotony, can transform a boring day into a completely magical one.
What would you prefer for this moment, this week, this year or your life, a monotonous life or a magical one?
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
Photo by Prophsee Journals on Unsplash
